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Tools and technologies for the analysis and synthesis of nanostructures

Fact Sheet

Result in Brief

Reporting

Project information

TASNANO

Grant agreement ID: 516865

Start date

1 January 2005

End date

30 June 2008

Funded under:

FP6-NMP

Overall budget:

€ 3 374 261

EU contribution

€ 2 150 000

Coordinated by:

INSTITUT NATIONAL POLYTECHNIQUE DE LORRAINE

France

Objective

Scanning proximity probes (SPP) are uniquely powerful tools for molecular analyses, and sensing: they are capable of addressing and manipulating surfaces at the atomic level and therein are keys to unlocking the full potential of Nanotechnology. Current SP P nanotools are limited to several probes with optical readout and slow processing rates, mostly at the research level. This presently constitutes a severe limitation in the manufacturing viability of this technology. Through the realisation of 2-dimension al massively parallel probe arrays with integrated piezoresistive readout and their individual and/or modular nanofunctionalisation, an avalanche of new tools and processes for a wide range of applications including sensing, electronics and the life-scienc es industries would be viable. We expect breakthroughs in a new generation of tools for molecular level characterization and manipulation methods along the following directions: - A generic Nanotool provided by a Massively Parallel Nano-Electro Mechanical System (MP NEMS) chip incorporating array of intelligent proximal probes with integrated actuator and piezoresistive readout, fully addressable, for high-speed data analysis or bottom-up product synthesis. - The modular generic NEMS-chip will be "Nanofunct ionalised" to generate a family of application specific NEMS-chip packages (AS NEMS) for integration into a range of new intelligent, cantilever based Nanotools. - Prototypes of experimental Nanotools based on the functionalised AS NEMS chips developed in TASNANO will be produced and demonstrated in selected applications and the results used to support the development of new Nanotechnology processes and products. It is the aim of TASNANO that the new modulariy functionalised nanotools with MP ASNEMS 'chips inside' should empower nanotechnologists and drive the development of nano-scale science, leading to new nanotechnology processes and their industrial exploitation.

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Large-scale analysis of nanostructures

The ability to characterise, control and manipulate microstructures on an industrial scale is the key to unlocking the full potential of nanotechnology. EU-funded researchers developed modular tools-on-a-chip to help fulfil the promise.

Proximity sensors are probes able to detect the presence of nearby objects without touching them. Scanning proximity probe (SPP) microscopes, among them atomic force microscopes (AFMs), measure local properties such as height or optical absorption using a probe tip in close proximity to the sample.
The probe itself is a cantilever, a very thin needle-type structure. When passed over the surface of a sample, SPPs enable molecular-level characterisation and manipulation of particular importance to the field of nanotechnology.
To date, SPP nanotools consist of only a few probes with limited readout and slow processing rates primarily used for research. Development of massive parallel probe arrays and the use of ‘smart’ materials could dramatically enhance speed, surface resolution and manipulator control, leading to development of a whole new class of nanotools for industry.
European researchers sought to produce parallel arrays of cantilever sensors using piezoresistive (PR) materials. PR materials are one of many classes of smart materials. They respond to mechanical stress with changes in resistance to electrical current flow.
With EU-funding of the ‘Tools and technologies for the analysis and synthesis of nanostructures’ (Tasnano) project, scientists sought to build the PR technology into a generic, parallel-module nano-electromechanical system (PM-NEMS) that could be functionalised to produce application-specific NEMS-chip packages (AS-NEMS).
Tasnano concepts should enable functionalised and tailor-made industrial-scale analysis, control and manipulation of nanostructures. They could have impact on high-speed data analysis, new product synthesis and a whole host of applications yet to be discovered, driving rapid development of nanotechnology processes and their commercial exploitation.

Final Report Summary - TASNANO (Tools and technologies for the analysis and synthesis of nanostructures)

Scanning proximity probes (SPP) are uniquely powerful tools for molecular analyses and sensing; they are capable of addressing and manipulating surfaces at the molecular and atomic levels and therein are keys to unlocking the full potential of nanotechnology. Current SPP nanotools are limited to several probes with optical readout and slow processing rates, mostly at the research level. This presently constitutes a severe limitation in the commercial / manufacturing viability of this technology. Through the realisation of modular parallel probe arrays with integrated piezoresistive readout and their individual and / or modular nanofunctionalisation, an avalanche of new tools and processes for a wide range of applications including sensing, electronics and the life-sciences industries would be viable.

In this long-term research oriented project, we expected to lead to a breakthrough in a new generation of tools and technologies / methodologies for molecular level characterisation and manipulation methods.

Some of the results include: Completely new SPM designs of polymer cantilever and concepts have been proposed and implemented. The main guidelines addressed high sensitivity and force resolution, miniaturization, simplification, low power consumption and combination of several differently functionalised cantilevers.

Our proposed nanotools are useful for the fabrication of array of molecular switches, quantum computers, nano-patterning, bio- and environmental sensors, low-cost high resolution soft nanolithography molecular recognition, and in long-term a host of avalanche of other nanotool applications in the areas of engineering, biology, health care, communication industry etc. Nanoscience and nanotechnology is greatly advancing with the availability of the proposed nanotools.

We designed, fabricated, tested and applied measurement and control electronics for the sensors developed in the TASNANO project. In particular, we developed components which will enable application and calibration of the silicon and polymer based devices integrating piezoresistive deflection detector and thermal movement actuator.

For the needs of nanolithography using probes, a biotin streptavidin process was developed by NCSR in collaboration with SIS. This process is capable of high resolution lithography depending on the resolution limit of the probe used. In order to not only manipulate the surfaces on the molecular level but to produce them with lateral dimensions of less than 10 nm the specification of the existing AFM had to be improved. With an optimised new feedback loop software the positioning of the AFM could then stabilised to about 1 nm. In deposition experiments on Si and on Biotin line patterns could be generated that clearly show a width of less than 10 nm.